NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
HOLLYWOOD CASINO 400
KANSAS SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
OCTOBER 3, 2014
DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 DIET MOUNTAIN DEW CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Kansas Speedway and discussed turning 40 years old next week, his relationship with Ned Yost, his current position in the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup and many other topics. Full Transcript:
CAN YOU REFLECT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TURNING 40? ARE YOU WHERE YOU THOUGHT YOU WOULD BE?
“Definitely accomplished more than I thought I would when I was younger. I just wanted to make it and being the son of a guy that was so successful. The more success he had it seemed like the harder it would be for me to make it. I would just be sort of a chapter in that whole thing, but I’m real happy with what I’ve been able to accomplish and who I have been able to work with and the friends I’ve been able to make. That is probably the best thing is the relationships that you create. Being a part of this sport there are so many great people in it, no matter what department you talk about. It’s just fun getting to know all those people that helped get this thing going and move it from race to race. The accomplishments as far as just the statistics it’s definitely exceeded my expectations. We are still winning races and running good so maybe we can get a few more wins and have some more fun before it’s over. Definitely having this birthday come up makes you reflect quite a bit back on not so much the decisions or any regrets you have, just the fun stuff you have done and is the next 40 years going to be just as good, because the first 40 were pretty great.”
HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW NED YOST AND HAVE YOU GUYS TRADED ANY TEXTS OR CALLS THIS YEAR?
“I read a couple of articles where he was real pleased with how we did in Daytona. Knowing his friendship with my Dad it’s pretty cool that he is watching me. That meant a really good deal to me. He is a genuine guy with a genuine appreciation and friendship with my father. It means a lot to me that he follows me still to this day and I think that I want to see him do well as much. I have seen him in different circles. He has been on iRacing a little bit over the last several years, seen him on there. Just different things, but we don’t really have consistent contact with each other, but there is a mutual respect for sure.”
FOR 18 YEARS OLD CHASE ELLIOTT SEEMS VERY MATURE FOR HIS AGE. DO YOU THINK HE IS HIS OWN WORST CRITIC? AND BEING ONLY 18 WITH A LONG CAREER AHEAD OF HIM IS THAT GOOD OR BAD?
“I think that the praise that he receives makes him uncomfortable and he wants people to realize that he knows and understands he has a lot to learn and he is not buying into the hype; and that he understands that he is on a mission that is going to last a long time. He has just got a lot of things to understand and learn still. He doesn’t want people to think that he is making any assumptions of himself. He wants people to appreciate how grounded he is and his understanding of his celebrity or his success on the track. I think that is a good trait. He has got a lot of humility. He was raised in a good house with great parents that have got a lot of great qualities in him through that experience. I think the praise that he receives makes him a little bit uncomfortable and I can totally relate to that. When you start out and you are just getting going and people think you are this great thing and it puts a lot of pressure on you. You just kind of want to slow that down a little bit and go through the motions and do what you are doing and go to the race track. You are going to have great days and you are going to have days where everything doesn’t work out. He understands that he has to learn through all those processes still.”
WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES AND FUTURE PLANS FOR JR MOTORSPORTS WITH REGAN SMITH STAYING AT LEAST THROUGH NEXT YEAR? HAVE YOUR PLANS CHANGED? IS IT EVOLVING AND WILL WE SEE DIFFERENT THINGS THERE? WHAT DO YOU LOOK AHEAD TOWARDS?
“Well the Nationwide Series is a year to year deal. Our sponsorships are short term compared to the Cup level so our relationships with our drivers have to fit in those windows as well. That is nothing unusual about going year to year or every two years with a driver contract. We do the same thing with the sponsorships as well sometimes. We would love to have longer agreements, but that just depends on the money just like every other piece of the puzzle. The money really has a big effect on it. I am really happy that we are basically going to have a carbon copy of what we did this year next season. We have had a lot of success and I think we can build on that and everything is going to stay in place and we are going to go on down the road. On down the road is just 12 months. When you talk about the Cup Series you look a little further. I would like to race for that company one day, so I hope to keep it healthy until that opportunity presents itself. Whenever I’m done Cup racing to jump in a Nationwide car and do that for a couple of years in my own shop.”
IS IT GOOD TO GET THESE FIRST THREE CHASE RACES OUT OF THE WAY AND HIT THE RESET BUTTON AND KIND OF START OVER NOW?
“Absolutely, we didn’t do too well these first three so the reset button is in favor of our team. We feel like we are not realizing our potential and I think it is obvious we are not realizing our potential. This gives us an opportunity to sort of get back into the championship battle. Had they not structured it so, I don’t know that we would be feeling too confident about our chances at this point. Now it’s all back to zero. We can get regrouped and get confident again and come out of here with a great finish we are back in it.”
THIS COMING THURSDAY NIGHT AMY (REIMANN, GIRLFRIEND) IS RACING IN THE ‘BETTER HALF DASH’ SHE DID SOME TESTING HOW IS THAT GOING? WHAT HAS THAT BEEN LIKE FOR YOU TO WATCH FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PIT WALL?
“Yeah I have been working real hard so I haven’t had a chance to go to her tests. TJ (Majors, Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s Cup Series spotter) went to the first one and LW (Miller, Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s brother-in-law) went to the second one. Her speeds are good. She is not the slowest, she’s not the fastest, but she is having a lot of fun. She is REALLY nervous. She is happy to be involved in it because of the cause and to be able to do something good makes her feel good. She is happy to be involved in it for the charitable aspects of it. She is starting to kind of realize she might of bit off more than she can chew on the driving side of it. I think it’s a good experience for her. She is having fun with it. I just told her just enjoy it don’t put a lot of pressure on yourself. You’re not a race car driver, just go out there and have fun.”
WHAT KIND OF FATHER DO YOU THINK CLINT BOWYER WILL BE AND WHAT KIND OF KID DO YOU THINK WILL OUT OF CLINT BOWYER?
“(Laughs) I mean if he’s anything like Clint he will be okay. Clint is a great guy, a good friend and I have a lot of fun with him. I don’t think that is going to change. Certainly his priorities are going to change in order and being a father is going to become the focal point in his life. I don’t think it’s going to change his personality a whole lot. That is probably a good thing for his child. I think he will be a great Dad. He’s going to be a lot of fun, especially when the kid gets older and he can start to do more things. And they can do things together I think they will have a lot of fun together.”
WHAT ABOUT HIS KIDS PERSONALITY?
“If it’s anything like Clint it will be great. Clint is a good guy. I think he is outside so I have to talk good about him. (Laughs).”